Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Disastrous Baltimore Book Festival Sparks Brutal 'Willy Wonka Experience' And 'Fyre Fest' Comparisons

Screenshots from @chloyorkcity's TikTok video
@chloyorkcity/TikTok

Authors and fans are speaking out after showing up to the "A Million Lives" book festival in Baltimore, only to be met with barely any decorations and even fewer attendees.

The "Willy Wonka Experience" disaster has struck again—but now among the BookTok community.

BookToker and indie author Grace Willows, who has since set her TikTok profile to private, told the BookTok community that she was organizing a literary ball for indie authors, literary vendors, and readers to meet.


The theme played on the concept of a reader living a million lives through books and was called "A Million Lives Book Festival," but after the so-called event, indie authors have taken to calling it "A Million Lies," and for good reason.

The event took place in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of a weekend for fantasy and romance authors to sign and sell their books. The festival was in the works for over a year and a half, and the star of the weekend was supposed to be a black-tie ball, with formal attire required.

Despite that alleged year and a half of planning, people soon suspected it was thrown together in 45 minutes.

The large convention hall was empty except for a series of long, uncovered tables. The concrete floor was bare. No decorations were hung, save for a single row of fake rose petals that were placed in a row along the length of one table.

Here's one example from indie author Amber Bunch entering the event:

@amber.bunch_author

Really though, I still don't know what to think about it all. 🙃 So, I'm just going to continue to laugh it off and be thankful for all the wonderful people I met there. Convention video by me Ball video/photos by: @Author C.A. Burkhart #amillionlivesbookfestival #booktok

The security guard for the room also felt so bad for the attendees that he ran home and brought his own Bluetooth speaker, meant to be used in the shower, because there was no DJ.

Here's a video of BookToker Brandi catching the speaker on camera, which the BookTok community has since named "Steve" because of the background music "You, Me, and Steve" by Garfunkel and Oates.

@mommabtx

I dont even have words #steve #theresnothingholdingmeback #what

Because of the event's quality and turnout, indie authors began to issue apology videos to their readers.

Though the situation was not their fault, indie authors still felt terrible for readers who potentially shelled out money for the $23 entry fee, travel, and hotel to attend the event.

Indie author Kalista Neith found this to be especially unacceptable in today's economy.

@kalista_neith_author

I'm speechless @S.E. Zell Author, Narrator #abillionlies

But it soon started to dawn on all of the indie authors that there was no way they were going to make their money back.

While readers had to pay to participate, indie authors and vendors also spent thousands of dollars on set up, supplies, travel and lodging.

Because fewer than fifty people were in attendance, and most of them were authors, no one was able to "table," meaning to break even on just the cost of their author signing space.

TikToker @chloyorkcity collected many authors' information so people could show support.

@chloyorkcity

A Million Lives Book Festival was a Fyre Fest of sorts. Here are the authors I’ve found who attended if you can support! ❤️ (And please tag anyone I missed!) @Kalista Neith 🖤💋🔪 @Kaytalin Platt @JD Laubach | Author @Kait Disney-Leugers @Author Perci Jay @brandi_reads_books.brb @Author Genevieve James 📚 @slanted shelf 📚💖 @Kris K Haines @Jonathan Hawker 🏳️‍🌈 Author @Author Sarah Zane🏳️‍🌈 @Magical Molly @Juliette Caruso @T.L. Price | Fantasy Reads @Lara Buckheit @Samantha @Author Megan L. Adams @K.J. Sinclair📚✒️ @J.M Wallace (Jordan) @Atlas Creed - Author @Amber Bunch Author #BookTok #amillionlivesbookfestival #archerevents #fyrefestival #willywonkaexperience

Onlookers who followed online were flabbergasted.

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

@chloyorkcity/TikTok

Due to the backlash, Grace Willows issued what many considered a non-apology.

Willows promised that anyone who requested a refund would receive one, and she was empathetic to anyone who was disappointed.

She then went on to excuse the event, stating that all of the signage, decorations, and swag bags had disappeared and likely been stolen. There was even a separate room next to the ballroom that she had called the "Content Creation Room" that was completely empty, but which she claimed was supposed to be decked out with props for the guests to use.

But indie author Lara Buckheit did a little digging and did not believe Willows' explanation.

Buckheit contacted the convention center directly to ask about Willows' claims the items were stolen, and according to the coordinator, that was almost impossible. It's common practice for the event organizer, who was Willows in this scenario, to contact the convention center to file a report, and the fact that no report had been filed was sketchy, at best.

@laraonfirewrites

i attended #AMillionLives as an author & i have receipts!!!!! “content creation room” photo by @Coco 🖤 #amillionlivesbookfestival #BookTok #baltimorebookfestival #booktokfyrefest #archerfantasyevents

The utter lack of decorations, signage, music, food, water, as well as the bare concrete floor, which caused issues for attendees with disabilities, showed an obvious lack of preparation or care.

Even an attendance roster showing authors and where their tables were, or a schedule of panels and events, were nowhere to be found.

Willows planned on hosting two more of these events, one in October and one in 2026, but has suspended them for the time being while refunds are being sorted out. Hopefully she will keep to her word about refunds, and if she really does decide to host further events, then she had better be taking notes from this one.

More from Trending

Screenshot of Stephen Colbert
CBS

Stephen Colbert Makes Somber Plea To Americans In Wake Of Charlie Kirk's Death

Late-night host Stephen Colbert had a somber message for Americans as he addressed the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, stressing that "political violence only leads to more political violence."

Kirk died after an unidentified gunman shot him in the neck as he—ironically enough—mocked victims of gun violence at an event in Utah Valley State University. Kirk's murder has galvanized the far-right, with President Donald Trump and his surrogates claiming without evidence that rhetoric from Democrats is responsible for Kirk's death.

Keep ReadingShow less
a woman sunbathing on rocks.
a person sitting on a towel on a beach
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

People Share The Weirdest Flexes They Heard Someone Say With A Straight Face

It is never attractive to gloat.

Even so, some people can't help but brag, or "flex" as it is sometimes known, about certain accomplishments or attributes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @thedowntheredoc's TikTok video
@thedowntheredoc/TikTok

TikToker Hilariously Calls Out Target After Champion Pants Feature Awkwardly-Placed Front Pleat

Sometimes you can just tell when something was designed *for* women, but was not actually designed *by* women.

Take, for instance, the new pleated pants available at Target from the Champion clothing line. While there's nothing wrong with pleated pants and they certainly have a suitable spot in the workplace, the latest rendition of Champion pleated pants are, shall we say, NSFW.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @kaicutch's Instagram video
@kaicutch/Instagram

Woman Flips Her Car After Belting Out Ironic Britney Spears Lyric In Wild Viral Video

Whether we want to admit it or not, we've all had our fair share of carpool karaoke and maybe even imagined our car as our own personal recording studio.

But TikToker and Instagrammer Kaitlynn McCutcheon may have gotten too into her performance of Britney Spears' classic, "Hit Me Baby, One More Time," when the road and her car both said, "Bet."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@lynnshazeen's TikTok video
@lynnshazeen/TikTok

Woman Goes Viral After Revealing How Her Obsession With Matcha Landed Her In The Hospital

Let's be honest: Too much of anything isn't good for us. It's all about the balance!

But the media and social media trends have taught us that certain things are really good for us, encouraging us to be like the "very mindful and very demure" girls and take care of ourselves. One such example is drinking more matcha, especially if you really like coffee or think you have a caffeine addiction.

Keep ReadingShow less